Cincinnati Bengals: Top 10 Wide Receivers In Franchise History

Cincinnati Bengals: Top 10 Wide Receivers In Franchise History

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The Cincinnati Bengals have had some great players over the years. Some of those greats were wide receivers.

Young Bengals fans may not know it but they also have had some great tight ends. Three of them might qualify in this top ten. However, since this is a list of the top wide receivers, names like Rodney Holman, Tony McGee, and Bob Trumpy aren't included.

9. Peter Warrick (2000 - 2004)

Peter Warrick was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals fourth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. His biggest year came in 2003 when Warrick caught a career high 79 passes for 819 yards and seven touchdowns. He also picked up 143 rushing yards on the ground and returned a punt for a touchdown.

Warrick may have performed better if he was in a system with a consistent quarterback.

8. Tim McGee (1986 - 1994)

Tim McGee was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round (21st overall) of the 1986 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, he led the NFL in kickoff return yards.

He was a key contributor to the Bengals Super Bowl team in 1988 when he caught 36 passes for 686 yards and six touchdowns. His best year came in 1989 when he grabbed 65 balls for 1,211 yards and eight touchdowns.

McGee sat with Boomer Esiason in front of a bus full of replacement players during the 1987 strike.

7. Darnay Scott (1994 - 2001)

Darnay Scott was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft.

His best season was in 1999 when Scott had 68 receptions for 1022 yards and seven touchdowns. Bengal fans remember the pretty, high-arching deep balls from Jeff Blake to an in-stride Scott for long touchdowns.

6. T.J. Houshmandzadeh (2001 - 2008)

T.J. Houshmandzadeh was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round (204th overall) in the 2001 NFL Draft. That year, he had 21 receptions for 228 yards and set a franchise record with 126 punt return yards in a game.

Houshmandzadeh missed almost all of the 2003 season with a severe hamstring injury. In 2004 he was listed as the team's third receiver behind Peter Warrick and Chad Johnson. When Warrick went down, Houshmandzadeh was promoted to the starting lineup with Johnson. Those two quickly became among the NFL's most exciting receiving tandems.

His best season came in 2007 when he caught 112 balls for 1,143 yards and 12 touchdowns. If he had re-signed with the Bengals instead of the Seahawks, he would surely move higher on this list.

5. Eddie Brown (1985 - 1991)

In the 1985 NFL Draft, Brown was the 13th pick overall by the Cincinnati Bengals. That year, Brown won the NFL Rookie of the Year Award when he snagged 53 balls for 942 yards and eight touchdowns.

Brown's best year was 1988 when he hauled in 53 throws for 1,273 yards and nine touchdowns, helping the Bengals to a championship appearance in Super Bowl XXIII. He also went to the Pro Bowl that year.

His 24 yards per catch average in 1988 is the highest yards per catch of any player in NFL history for a season with 50+ catches.

4. Carl Pickens (1992 - 1999)

Carl Pickens was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round (31st overall) in the 1992 NFL Draft. That year, he was The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press.

His best season came in 1995 when he had 99 receptions and 17 touchdowns. He also caught at least one touchdown pass in 10 consecutive games that season. In 1996, Pickens became the first Bengal to have 100 receptions.

Pickens is remembered for his great leaping ability. When the Bengals were near the goal line, the "jump ball" throw to Pickens in the corner of the endzone was nearly unstoppable.

He is also known for the "Carl Pickens Clause". The Bengals created a clause for Pickens' contract which would cause him to forfeit all or some of his signing bonus if he insulted the organization in public.

3. Isaac Curtis (1973 - 1984)

Isaac Curtis was selected 15th overall by the Bengals in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft. That year, Curtis snatched 45 balls for 843 yards and nine touchdowns.

Although Curtis never had 1,000 yards or 50 catches in a season, he was a clutch player who was great at getting yards after the catch. Curtis was a burner who could make circus catches down the field. In 1974 and 1975, he averaged more than 21.1 yards per reception.

His 17.1 yards per catch average is a Bengals record.

2. Cris Collinsworth (1981 - 1988)

Cris Collinsworth was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft. Collinsworth was known for great route running and good speed. He had more than 1,000 yards receiving yards four times in his career (1981, 1983, 1985, and 1986).

In 1985, Collinsworth was signed up to go to the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League, but failed the physical and never suited up.